Diverter assemblies are in use today in various commerical activities. For example, hospitals typically transport blood and X-rays in carriers. Test samples are also typically delivered by a pneumatic system to laboratories for analysis. Mail is further distributed to different departments through the use of pneumatic transports and a diverter. Most diverter systems are driven with a chain and sprocket, with alignment accuracies of between 1/16 and 1/8 inch. Pressurized systems lead to leakage from the pneumatic system to the surrounding environment. Due to this leakage, such commercial units do not meet the exacting requirements of the nuclear industry when transporting radioactive materials, other than very low radiation materials.
A through the flowline diverter assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,418 (Van Bilderbeek). This diverter assembly accurately positions a diverter with respective angular spaced flowline ports by means of a cam and follower system. The diverter assembly is sealed at both ends after an axial and rotational indexing movement.
A switching assembly for an air classifier for delivering classified particles to selected bins pneumatically is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,490 (McAlister). An airtight seal is provided at an inlet to the switching station pipe and at the outlet from the switching station to one of a selected number of chutes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,485 (Clauson), a servicing mechanism for a gas-cooled nuclear reactor is disclosed. The nuclear reactor is of the type having a core formed with channels to be accessed. The servicing mechanism includes a charge tube extending through the pressure vessel which has an offset end portion. The end portion is selectively positionable at predetermined positions of the channels both radially and rotationally to provide access to the selected channel from outside of the pressure vessel.
Another charging apparatus for a nuclear reactor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,142 (Greaves et al.). The disclosed charging apparatus includes a rotatable charge tube mounted in an access duct. The chute has a moveable flap whereby two radially different fuel channels at the same rotational position can be selectively accessed. The chute is also selectively rotatable.
A pig diverter for delivering a selected tool into a central piping is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,123 (Lewis et al.). A chute on a rotor is selectively alignable with a number of angularly located secondary tubes, one of which the tool is then passed through. A locking means is provided for locking the rotor into a selected aligned position for the selected secondary pipe.